The Field Trip
by SsinurnSolen
Summary: Ron, Hermione, and Harry are sent to the West Coast of The U.S. to help a group of Shamans.


Disclaimer: The recognizable characters appearing in this story are property of J.K. Rowling. and Scholastic , all rights reserved. They are used without permission and for entertainment purposes only. No profit is being made by the author for writing this story. No infringement upon nor challenge to the rights of the copyright holders is intended; nor should any be inferred.  
  
The Field Trip  
  
Ron Weasley was settling into a comfortable chair in the Gryffendor common room when the prefect brought him a note. Ron looked at it with apprehension. He did not want to open it there in the common room.   
  
"What sort of trouble am I in now?" Ron thought to himself as he quickly made his way up to the boy's dormitory. His eyes never left the unopened note.  
  
"What have you got there Ron?" Harry asked, looking up from a book he was reading while lounging on his bed.  
  
"It-it's a note, ah, a note from Dumbeldore."  
  
"Well, Ron, what does it say?"  
  
"I don't know. I haven't opened it yet."  
  
"Why not? I mean, we haven't done anything lately. I doubt it is a reprimand. Relax, it is Friday. We have the entire weekend to look forward to. And besides, our weekend assignments were light this weekend. It couldn't be anything really bad. He is probably just reminding you to stay out of trouble."  
  
"Me? Why just reminding me? Did you get a note too. Any trouble I have gotten into here has been a team effort between you, me and Hermione. Why would I be the one to get a note?"  
  
"You will never know until you open it."  
  
"Right," Ron said as he slowly opened the note.  
  
"Well, what does it say?"  
  
"Mr. Ronald Weasley, I am sorry to ask this of you, but I need your help with something. I need you to come to my study as soon as you possibly can to discuss the matter. You may bring Harry and Hermione if you wish. No, you are not in trouble. Signed Dumbeldore."  
  
Ron gave a sigh of relief.  
  
"See Ron," Harry said," It wasn't so bad. Ill go with you. I am sure Hermione wouldn't want to be left out, so lets go get her. I think she is in the library."  
  
"Ok," Ron replied with some hesitation. Although the note clearly said he was not in trouble, he still felt queasy. Something was wrong. Ron had the same sinking feeling in his stomach that he always got when something dangerous was about to happen.  
  
The two made their way to the library. Hermione was at a table surrounded by books.  
  
"Not here either!" she shouted as she slammed one shut.  
  
"Is everything alright Hermione?"  
  
"No, " She replied, " Hagrid found several large nests of dead Titter Mice and he wanted me to look here to see if there was something that could help him. He found a few live ones, but they are all sick. He hoped I could find a cure among these books. Professor Sprout has been helping him when she has time, but so far they have come up with nothing. Hagrid says that when the mice get sick, it can damage the whole balance of the Dark Forest. Several of the creatures in the forest eat Titter Mice. If the larger animals get sick, or can't find food, they might come crawling out, looking for some other source of food. That could be dangerous for us. Professor Sprout says that her chicken coop has already been attacked. The larger animals are capable of attacking humans if they are desperate enough. Hagrid hopes we can get this taken care of before it goes that far. "  
  
"I wonder if that has anything to do with why Dumbeldore has called me to his study?" Ron asked himself aloud.  
  
"It very well could be. " Hermione replied.  
  
Hermione waved her wand and said, "Eragatuus Locus." The books all flew up and placed themselves back on the shelves.   
  
"That is an interesting spell," Harry said.  
  
" I memorized it when the librarian used it last week. She thought that everyone had left for the evening."  
  
"Well, lets go and get this over with." Ron said.  
  
"Ah, I figured you would be here," Professor Mcgonnegal said as she walked up to them, " Come now, can't keep Professor Dumbeldore waiting all day, can we?"  
  
She led the three to the entrance to Dumbeldore's study and uttered the password for them.  
  
"Oh good, you are here Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter and Miss Granger as well." Dumbeldore said as they entered his study," I knew separating the three of you would be an impossibility. Although Mr. Wesley is who is needed the most at this point, I am sure encouragement from you two will be welcome. You will need to be ready to leave in one hour by floo powder. "  
  
"Where exactly will we be going Professor?" Hermione asked.  
  
"To a place called 'Seven Devils Shamanic Academy', on the west coast of the United States. Do not worry, it is much less harmless than the name implies. It lost much in the translation to English. You will need to contact the headmistress, Red Fern. Several years ago, she came here as an exchange student. They have a problem at their academy that only a Weasley can help with. She contacted your parents, Ron, and your older brothers except for Fred and George, but all were too busy to help. Fred and George do not have the proper disposition to handle something as delicate as this. "  
  
"It might be fun Ron, lets go." Harry encouraged, "I have always wondered what people were like in America."  
  
"I must warn you, " Dumbeldore said, "These are not your ordinary American Witches or Wizards. These are Shamans. Their ways even baffle most others in their own country. Do not let their mannerisms shake you."  
  
"Yes sir," the three rang in unison.  
  
Within the hour the trio were ready to go. Dumbledore instructed them to speak very clearly while using the floo powder. He made them repeat the word, Shamanic over and over until they got it right.  
  
The trip took mere seconds.   
  
Ron, Harry, and Hermione found themselves in a room not much bigger than the Gryffindor common room.   
  
Antlers hung on the wall as well as several beaded tapestries. In front of the fireplace was a huge bearskin rug. The couches and chairs were covered in some sort of homespun fabric.   
  
"It looks like a log cabin someone is using as a hunting lodge." Hermione commented.  
  
A magazine rested on a table which looked like a tree root. Since no one was there to meet them, Hermione decided to read it to pass the time.   
  
"What is this?" She exclaimed as she looked at the symbols which formed words on the pages.  
  
Harry had a look at it and replied," It certainly isn't English."  
  
Ron took the magazine and thumbed through it.   
  
" I can't read a word of this," he said," So this is what Professor Dumbledore meant when he said they weren't ordinary. Harry, what'll we do if they don't speak English?"  
  
" Speak English pretty good." a boy said as he walked into the room. " Laughing fox I am . I'm late sorry. Soaring Eagle waits in the truck for us, come."  
  
Laughing Fox had long black hair, dark eyes and tanned skin. He wore a leather shirt covered in intricate beadwork. His pants were likewise made of leather. He had his hair in two braids with feathers, silver beads, and leather lacing adorning each.  
  
"Indians," Hermione whispered under her breath.  
  
"Tsagali Indians, mostly." Laughing fox replied. " This is the Tsagali lodge of the school."  
  
"Oh, that must be something like our school's houses. We are all from Gryffindor." Harry said.  
  
"Complicated a little more than that. Red Fern will explain." Laughing Fox replied.  
  
Laughing Fox led the three outside of the cabin and down a gravel pathway.  
  
They were in the middle of a forest.  
  
There were several cabins like the one they just exited. All of the cabins surrounded a larger log structure. It resembled a huge pagoda.   
  
"That is the school building," Laughing Fox commented," C'mon, Soaring Eagle has the engine on the truck running."  
  
Laughing Fox picked up the pace to where the three had to practically run to keep up with him.  
  
They finally arrived at a gravel parking lot where an older Indian in a new looking pickup was waiting. Laughing Fox jumped into the back of the truck. Ron and Harry followed, then helped Hermione in. The truck sped off down the gravel road as soon as they were seated.  
  
"I don't think this is a safe way to ride in a truck," Hermione commented, " Just pillows. No seats, and no seat belts."  
  
"It seems like fun to me." Harry said.   
  
" Seat belts don't work once the truck goes up."  
  
"Goes up? Oh! So this is a flying truck. My dad used to have a flying car, well, until Harry and me wrecked it." Ron said.  
  
"Yes, the flying vehicles are the only way to reach the school. The bus got mad at us, so it is in the woods somewhere. It always gets mad when someone chews gum while on board. It will cheer up and come back soon. Shaman Red Fern has a van, but it will only let her drive it, and she is busy at the site."  
  
"Laughing Fox, do you have a nickname? "  
  
"Yes, you can just call me Fox. Luckily this year there are no other foxes besides me at the school. Oh and don't use the word Indian too much around here. We prefer the term, Natives."  
  
The truck took to the air and flew over the trees. It did not take long before the flight was over.  
  
They landed in front of a boarded up mansion near the edge of an apple orchard. There were several Natives inspecting the trees. Some of the trees, they were magically pulling up, roots and all, and placing on a fire.  
  
Soaring Eagle led the four youngsters to the part of the orchard where the Natives were working. He suddenly stopped and held out his arms to keep the others from walking forward.  
  
"Mud blood." Soaring Eagle said.  
  
Hermione's eyes grew wide and she started to cry," How can you say,.. say"  
  
"Watch your language!" Ron blurted out," How dare you say something like that to her!"  
  
"Hold it, Ron, you have it all wrong." fox said.  
  
Soaring Eagle got a puzzled look in his face and pointed to a plant in the path.  
  
The plant resembled an onion, but was oozing some red substance that made the dirt around it look like it was covered with blood.  
  
"See," Fox said," Soaring Eagle gets his English words mixed up. He meant blood mud. The red sap can be poisonous if it is not handled properly. He did not want us to step on it. "  
  
While Fox was explaining the mix up to his new friends, Soaring Eagle called to an older Native woman. She said something to him and handed Soaring Eagle a pair of gloves and a small spade. Soaring Eagle quickly pulled up the onion plant and dug up the area around it. He then handed the plant to the older woman.  
  
The woman wore blue jeans and a long sleeved shirt. Her graying hair was in a single braid down her back.  
  
"Fox, go over to the east side of the orchard and help Waterfall check those trees. " The older woman then turned to Ron, Harry and Hermione," Ah, you must be Weasley, Potter, and Granger. I am Red Fern. I went to Hogwarts as an exchange student. Tell me, can any of you name this plant?"  
  
"I can," Hermione said, " It is called a beggars onion. They were fed to prisoners receiving the death penalty, it dulled the pain and made death swifter. They are also called Snow White's curse, because when they burrow themselves into fruit trees, they turn the fruit deadly poisonous."  
  
"Correct, Miss Granger. Professor Dumbledore told me you were good at remembering things. It is also known as an eve's onion, because when dried, ground and diluted, it can be used as a powerful aphrodisiac. Muggle scientists also have found uses for it in the treatment of heart disease and high cholesterol levels. That is why many of them we have uprooted will be sent to a local medical university. You see, when that house was built, and this orchard planted, the owners planted the onions near the house as bedding plants. Being Muggles, they were unaware that these onions travel, root and multiply around the base of trees, making any fruit poisonous."  
  
"How did they get the onion bulbs in the first place?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh some idiot, I suspect a Slytherin, stole some of them and sold the bulbs on Ebay. The bulbs quickly traveled and poisoned all of the fruit here. The owners were sued when the fruit poisoned several people."  
  
"That is awful!" Hermione said.  
  
"So why did you want me to come here?" Ron asked.  
  
"Simple, Some of these bulbs need to be delivered to a forested area not far from here. Some jerk Muggle cleared out part of that forest to create a hidden garden to grow marijuana plants. The beggars onions were wiped out by the fool. "  
  
"If they are bad for the trees, why do you want to take them to a forest?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh Harry, beggars onions are only bad for fruit bearing trees. Besides, although they are poisonous to humans, they are not for rats and mice. In fact, they eat them on a regular basis." Hermione said.  
  
"Quite right Miss Granger. The rats control the amount of beggars onions, keeping them from growing out of control. In the diminishing forests here, sometimes it is one of the only things the rats and mice can eat without harming the forest."  
  
"I still don't see why you want me here." Ron said.  
  
"In the forest where we need to take these plants, there is a creature that is violent to humans, or any creature our size or larger. It is a large bird called an Owl-Bear. The Owl-Bear's eggs are considered valuable, so they are often stolen. Your grandfather helped to return the eggs of the Owl-Bear that lives in the nearby forest. So, it knows your family, and will trust you. We do not want to harm the Owl-Bear, but it is very slow to trust."  
  
Ron's eyes got big ," You want me to sooth this Owl-Bear?"  
  
"Well yes. When it comes out to investigate, you will sooth it, and make it know that we mean it no harm."  
  
"How… how big is an Owl-Bear?"  
  
"Oh about seven meters tall."  
  
"Ss…seven meters!" Ron said as he fainted.  
  
Red Fern raised an eyebrow," Does he always do that?"  
  
"Unfortunately, yes," Harry replied, "that is why we came with him.  
  
"Good then. We should be ready to go. He can rest in the truck until we get there."  
  
The ride to the forest area was more uncomfortable than the ride to the orchard. The back of the truck was full. Hermione and Harry woke up Ron before they got out. They started giving him a pep talk while the natives unloaded the beggars onions into the small clearing.  
  
Suddenly a loud screech was heard. The natives quickened their pace of planting the onions. Fox went to the truck to help Harry and Hermione drag Ron to where the screeching was coming from. The huge owl came slowly into view.  
  
"Get far from my nest, creatures, or I kill you." The Owl-Bear squawked.  
  
"What d.. d.. do I do, Fox?" Ron stuttered.  
  
"Talk to it, silly."  
  
"Uh.. H.. hello M.. m.. Mrs. Owl-Bear."  
  
The bird came closer, sniffed at the four there, then eyed Ron.   
  
Harry looked at how thin the bird was. It looked like it was starving. He did not know if Ron noticed it, but knowing it was hungry did not make Harry feel any easier.  
  
"You, Red Hair, who is you."  
  
"R.. Ronald Weasley, Ma'mm."  
  
"Weasley? Why is you here? Eggs are safe in nest."  
  
"Bringing beggars onions, so the rats will come back, so you won't go hungry any more." Fox whispered into Ron's ear so Ron could tell the bird.  
  
"You bring rat food so rats come back. Okay, I leave. Good to see Weasley. Come and bring stories next time." The bird said as it disappeared.  
  
Ron sank to the ground and breathed a sigh of relief. The four returned to the spot where the Natives were planting the onions. The onions were already starting to take root.   
  
Red Fern pulled a large metal box from out of her van. She barked out instructions in one of the Native languages and set the box on the ground.  
  
"Potter, Granger, Weasley. Now that his is out of my van, you can ride with me. Go ahead and get inside."  
  
The Natives piled into the remaining vehicles as Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Fox piled into the van.  
  
Red Fern waved her arms and the metal box vanished. A huge swarm of rats and mice headed straight for the forest.  
  
"Good Job, Mr. Weasley. Oh and tell your father that we will be expecting him next summer. He loves to spend a day telling stories to the Owl-Bear. The creature looks big and menacing, but it really is a gentle thing. " Red Fern said as she drove the flying van back to her school.  
  
Red Fern continued to talk and tell stories about her year at Hogwarts. She told them how she developed a crush on Hagrid while she was there and inquired how he was doing.  
  
"He is dong fine, but we are having problems at the school." Harry said, " It keeps him so busy that he is exhausted all of the time."  
  
"What kind of problem?"  
  
Hermione explained about the mice getting sick.  
  
"I see, well it is a good thing I saved a couple of bags of beggar onions then. They just be the thing to help the mice, especially if the mice are eating what they should not."  
  
"I am sure Hagrid will appreciate that." Harry replied.  
  
"I do have one question? Why is this place called Seven Devils?" Ron asked.  
  
" Well, about 130 years ago, some European wizards came to this area because they felt the power it contained. They hoped to do their evil magic here out of sight of their superiors. Unfortunately for them, they did not know this place was populated by the Coquille Natives. Because the shamans did not like what those seven wizards were doing, they purposely made the spell being cast botch. The backlash from the ruined spell killed all seven of the wizards. The shamans buried the wizards. Whenever someone unfamiliar asked about the large grave, the shamans would reply,' Oh that is where we buried seven poor devils that did not know their place."  
  
"That is kind of funny." Ron said.  
  
"You are free to stay the rest of the weekend if you like, but from what you told me about the mice, it would be better if at least one of you went back to deliver the onions to Hagrid as soon as possible."  
  
"Actually, we three are all getting a little tired, and we did not bring our things to stay," Harry replied," perhaps another time?"  
  
"Of course, you can come back here any time."  
  
The three took a sack of beggar onions and prepared themselves to floo back to Hogwarts.  
  
All three of them arrived in Hagrid's house.  
  
"Well, I wasn't expectin' you three to floo in here. I thought you would find someplace bigger." Hagrid said as he entered his house." Ye made such a ruckus, I though the thing was fallin' in on itself."  
  
"No Hagrid, but we brought you something and felt it was urgent you get it. " Harry said.  
  
"We will even help you plant them if you want. " Hermione added.  
  
"Lemme see what ye have there. Oh! Beggar Onions! I ain't seen these in the dark forest for at least three years. I was wonderin' what happened to them."  
  
"Red Fern thinks that the mice are sick because they do not have these to eat." Ron said.  
  
"She may be right. Ye know it was funny how all of them onions just disappeared."  
  
"Well, hopefully plantin' these will make the mice all better. You three can help if ye like, but I would change clothes first."  
  
"Alright Hagrid." the three said in unison as they headed back for their dorm. 


End file.
